Etymology

kiwi

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Today it means: A flightless bird of the order Apterygiformes native to New Zealand. Full definition →

Māori kiwi ← Proto-Polynesian *kiu ← Proto-Oceanic *kiuk
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kiwi · noun, adjective1

  1. Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*kiuk
  2. Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian*kiuk
  3. Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian*kiuk
  4. Proto-Oceanic*kiuk
  5. Proto-Polynesian*kiu
  6. Māorikiwi
  7. English todaykiwi

Borrowed from Māori kiwi.

kiwi · noun, verb2

  1. Māori · derived fromkiwi
  2. English todaykiwi

Genericized trademark from the brand of shoe polish originating in Australia, from Māori kiwi.

Kiwi · noun, adjective, proper noun3

From kiwi, a flightless bird native to and a national symbol of New Zealand.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.